Question

Which of the following actions should be taken by the medical assistant when a patient calls the office wanting to make payment arrangements after his account has been turned over to a collection agency?

A. Advise the patient that you can accept payments, but they must be made in cash
B. Set up a payment schedule over the phone
C. Refer the patient to the collection agency
D. Tell the patient to come to the office to fill out a Truth in Lending Form

Answer 1

When a patient's account has been turned over to a collection agency, the medical assistant should refer the patient to the collection agency and advise them to contact the agency to set up payment arrangements. The medical assistant should not accept payments over the phone or in cash.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient calls the office wanting to make payment arrangements after their account has been turned over to a collection agency, the medical assistant should take the following actions:

1. Refer the patient to the collection agency. Since the account has already been turned over to a collection agency, it is best for the patient to work directly with them to make payment arrangements.
2. Advise the patient that they need to contact the collection agency to set up a payment schedule. The medical assistant can provide the contact information for the collection agency if the patient does not have it.
3. Refrain from accepting payments over the phone or in cash. Since the account is already with a collection agency, the medical assistant should not handle payments directly and should direct the patient to the collection agency for payments.